Sunday, February 4, 2007

The famous Fan Tan Alley in Victoria is the very heart of Canada's oldest Chinatown (second oldest in North America after San Fran). It is a narrow thoroughfare-- just five feet wide in places -- full of eclectic shops and rich history. The alley used to contain many opium dens, brothels, and gambling clubs back in the day, hence the name fan tanreferring to a type of gambling game played widely among the Chinese immigrants. The looming weather-worn red brick walls, unchanged since establishment in 1858, stretch three towering stories above the street giving the impression of a deep, dark chasm chiseled between two buildings.Quite often this little stretch is used in Hollywood films, such as the famous motorcycle scene in the comme ci comme ça movie "Bird on a Wire."The alley is a formidable place to walk through... like taking a step back in time.